As the weather gets colder, the battle over the thermostat starts again (all in fun jest)

Now that we have our DD, at 11 weeks old, my wife has a new reason to keep turning the temperature up. Just curious what "normal" is for most homes this winter, especially those who have a newborn in the house.

I seem to be comfortable at about 68, my wife at 72 . Trying to compromise at 70 .

When DS was born, we stayed in the hospital for 3 days post-birth. I kept the AC cranked as low as it would go, and kept DS in the room with me. The nurses would tsk-tsk me that I was going to "freeze that baby". Ends up, he is a hot natured kid just like his mamma

I think it depends on where you live. I'm in MN and once winter hits it's cold for a LONG time. I don't like being cold in my house as well as out side. We strive to keep it around 72 during the day but I'm not afraid to turn it up if I'm cold. There's just a level of comfort that you have to find and sometimes sweaters and socks and slippers just don't do enough.

With gas prices here going through the roof, we haven't used our heat for three years now until around early February, which means at night the house gets down in the high to low 50s.

At night, the baby stays bundled in fleece buntings/sleepsacks and a hat. I also don't cover the baby but drape a big fleece blanket over the cosleeper/crib (wherever he happens to be) so the baby's body and feet are in the "cave" but his head is not. It is nice and cozy in there. And when we cosleep, he's in bed with us so he's warm anyway.

During the day we use two space heaters - one gets turned on in the kitchen/eating area, the other in the living room. The rest of the doors in the house are closed so the cold air stays out of the living areas. That works very well, and our gas bill is in the $40 range most of the winter. Electric only goes up a little with the space heaters.

With gas prices here going through the roof, we haven't used our heat for three years now until around early February, which means at night the house gets down in the high to low 50s.

At night, the baby stays bundled in fleece buntings/sleepsacks and a hat. I also don't cover the baby but drape a big fleece blanket over the cosleeper/crib (wherever he happens to be) so the baby's body and feet are in the "cave" but his head is not. It is nice and cozy in there. And when we cosleep, he's in bed with us so he's warm anyway.

During the day we use two space heaters - one gets turned on in the kitchen/eating area, the other in the living room. The rest of the doors in the house are closed so the cold air stays out of the living areas. That works very well, and our gas bill is in the $40 range most of the winter. Electric only goes up a little with the space heaters.

Yes, but where do you live??? If I didn't turn on the heat until feb our water pipes would freeze!!!! lucky you that you can wait so long....

How did all those babies ever survive before we could control the temperature in the house?

You keep 'em warm by wrapping them up. You keep 'em cool by taking off the extra clothes.

Often, sadly, babies didn't survive harsh climates. I can't imagine living where I do now, next to the prairie during pioneer times. It was a hard life and people didn't survive. Personally, I'm grateful for my heated house and do wrap my babies up when needed.

A few pediatricians said that after the first week, a baby can get adjusted to whatever climate you want the baby to get adjusted to (within reason). Babies in Siberia have to deal with conditions different than babies living at the Equator. It's all relative to what temperature you want your baby to get use to. This may help OP. My dd (now 3) sleeps in nightgowns and we don't have our heat on at night yet (we're also in Northern IL area). She has one fleece blanket on her at night. She doesn't wake up cold nor complain about being cold. And the extremities aren't the best assesment about a baby's temperature, feel the baby's body (feet and hands tend to get cold easily - heck, mine can even be ice cold on a hot summer day even though the rest of my body is sweating).